Your credit score (often referred to as your FICO score) provides a snapshot of your credit status. It's determined by a variety of factors, and obviously, you need to understand the components that affect your credit score before you can start to repair it. Although the exact formula used by the Fair Isaac Corporation, which compiles the score, is proprietary and not publicly disclosed, here's basically what it looks at, and how each factor is weighed:

If you don’t address the exact cause of your bad credit, the damage is likely to worsen the longer it goes untreated. For example, if you’ve missed a few credit-card payments, repaying at least the minimum amount needed to change your account’s status from “delinquent” to “paid” on your credit reports will prevent your score from falling further. The same is true of collections accounts, tax liens and other derogatory marks — at least to a certain extent.
For example, let’s say you want to use a credit card balance transfer to consolidate. Almost any balance transfer credit card you choose will have a fee that’s applied for each balance transferred. Some have a $3 fee per transfer, while others are 3% of the balance you move. That’s a big difference. If you transfer $25,000, then the 3% card will increase the cost of debt elimination by $750.
Applying for and opening up a new credit card increases your overall credit limit compared to the amount you have used. This, too, can result in a nice credit score bump the following month, but only works if you have good credit. One drawback: You may initially receive a 10 to 25-point new credit score ding which will readjust after a few months of responsible credit behavior.
Despite anyone's diligence in managing their money wisely, sometimes financial hardships happen because of a job loss, medical condition, divorce, or other life events. If you have problems making ends meet, contact your creditors or a legitimate non-profit agency that specializes in credit counseling services for assistance. Do this as soon as possible to see how consolidated debt can help relieve the burden of financial stresses. The longer you wait, the more challenges you'll encounter. Consolidating debt is often your best alternative in these situations, and a counselor can help you with the process.
Personal Loans: With the rise of marketplace lenders, obtaining a personal loan with a low interest rate has become increasingly easy. Most lenders will allow you to shop for an interest rate without hurting your credit score. You should shop around for the best rate online at websites like MagnifyMoney or NerdWallet, where you can find variable interest rates as low as 4.74%.
Credit card consolidation can affect your credit in many ways, depending on which strategy you choose. For example, if you’re consolidating multiple balances onto one credit card, you’ll want to avoid maxing out that card’s credit limit because that will hurt your credit utilization rate (how much debt you’re carrying compared to your total credit limit).
Secured cards are a great way to build or improve credit. When you open a secured card, you submit a security deposit that typically becomes your credit limit. This deposit acts as collateral if you default on your account, but you can get it back if you close your account after paying off your balance. As long as you use a secured card responsibly — for example, make on-time payments and use little of your available credit — you may see improvements in your credit score. Unfortunately, in addition to the upfront deposit, this credit-building tool can have extra costs, like an annual fee.
By submitting your information above, you consent, acknowledge, and agree to the following: Our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. That you are providing express "written" consent for Consolidated Credit to call you (autodialing, text and pre-recorded messaging for convenience) via telephone, mobile device (including SMS and MMS - charges may apply depending on your carrier, not by us), even if your telephone number is currently listed on any internal, corporate, state or federal Do-Not-Call list. We take your privacy seriously and you may receive electronic communications, including periodic emails with important news, financial tips, tools and more. You can always unsubscribe at any time. Consent is not required as a condition to utilize Consolidated Credit services and you are under no obligation to purchase anything.

If your repayment term is extended when you consolidate, it may take you significantly longer to pay off your credit card debt. While it may be nice to have a more manageable monthly payment, it also means paying more interest over the life of the loan. Review the terms of your consolidation carefully before deciding that it is the right choice for you.

Some of your creditors and lenders might report only to one of the credit bureaus. And, since credit bureaus don’t typically share information, it’s possible to have different information on each of your reports. Ordering all three reports will give you a complete view of your credit history and let you repair your credit at all three bureaus instead of just one.
While multiple hard inquiries can increase score drops, particularly for those who are new to credit, credit-scoring agencies recognize the importance of rate shopping. As a result, multiple inquiries for student loans that occur with a 14- to 45-day window (depending on the type of credit score) only count as a single inquiry when your score is being calculated.

Of the major credit repair organizations, only Lexington Law has received an A rating from the Better Business Bureau. The Credit People and CreditRepair.com received high ratings from their consumers online, but are not rated by the Better Business Bureau. These companies don’t do anything you can’t do yourself, but they may be worth your money if you’ve got a lot of negative information to remove.

Getting negative and inaccurate information off of your credit reports is one of the fastest ways to see an improvement in your scores. Since credit bureaus have to respond and resolve a dispute within 30 days (there are a few exceptions that may extend this to 45 days), it’s a short timeline. Especially when consumers want to buy a house, get a new car, or open up a new credit card soon and don’t have the time to wait to build good credit in other ways.
First Republic Eagle Gold. The interest rates are great, but this option is not for everyone. Fixed rates range from 1.95% – 4.45% APR. You need to visit a branch and open a checking account (which has a $3,500 minimum balance to avoid fees). Branches are located in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Newport Beach, San Diego, Portland (Oregon), Boston, Palm Beach (Florida), Greenwich or New York City. Loans must be $60,000 – $300,000. First Republic wants to recruit their future high net worth clients with this product.
Credit repair success requires a universal perspective. You cannot afford to become myopic. Many people become so interested in monitoring the removal of derogatory items (which, admittedly, can be very exciting) that they ignore other major opportunities to boost their credit scores. Did you know that a single maxed-out credit card can depress your credit scores by over one hundred points? Conversely, paying your balances down can create an equal and opposite effect of increasing your scores by that amount. Pay your balances down and watch your scores take off. You should allow sixty days for the creditors to update the balances with the bureaus.

The key to this strategy is obtaining more credit, but not using more credit. In other words, if your limit goes up $1,000, don’t go out and charge half of it. Think of the boost as a way to save money later when you apply for an auto loan, home loan or another form of long-term debt where a high credit score will likely result in big savings via a lower interest rate.

The secured credit card is a way to build and establish credit to obtain higher credit scores. If you found that you cannot get approved for a traditional credit card, you’re still likely to get approved for a secured credit card because there is less risk for the lender. The card issuer will report to the credit bureaus about your ability to pay the credit card on time and how you manage and use the balance.